Contains a review of the Salman Rushdie’s work and his novel The Satanic Verses.  The July 1988 report of PEN International listed 305 writers known to be imprisoned or otherwise penalised for their writings. Some of these are overtly political, others have merely dared to publish their poetry or stories outside approved channels. Rushdie’s fiction engages directly with history and politics to confront us with the question of individual responsibility and to offer the readers the possibility of freedom.